Citrus twist
and garnish

A lemon peel twist over a martini, an orange slice in a negroni, a sprig of mint on a mojito. Garnish isn't decoration; it's flavor and aroma. Below, learn how to make a twist, when to squeeze it and when to leave it in the glass, which garnish goes with which cocktail, and what to leave out.

Twist: oil, not juiceSlice for acidityMint: slap, don't muddle
Old fashioned with orange twist
TWIST ✶ GARNISH ✶ LEMON PEEL ✶ COCKTAILS ✶ GLAZEN.NL ✶

The twist

A twist is a strip of lemon, orange or grapefruit peel, without the white pith. Cut one with a vegetable peeler or channel knife, three to five centimeters long. Hold the strip with the peel side facing the glass and squeeze it over the surface: you'll see a mist of oil spray onto the drink. That's the whole trick. Wipe the peel along the rim and drop it into the glass or place it on top.

You can smell the oils from the peel with every sip. A martini, old fashioned, negroni or Sazerac gets a fresh aroma without making the taste more sour. A flamed orange twist, where you squeeze the oils through a flame, adds a caramelized aroma.

Slice, wedge or wedge?

A slice is for color and appearance: in a gin and tonic or a negroni. A wedge is for squeezing into the drink: in a Cuba Libre, a Paloma or a Caipirinha. A half slice fits on the rim of a highball glass. Cut citrus just before using it; after an hour, the peel loses its oils.

Herbs and fruit: clap mint between your hands before adding it to a mojito or julep to release the oils. You can hold rosemary above a flame for a moment. Cucumber in thin ribbons or a slice for a gin and tonic. Berries on a cocktail pick.

What goes with which cocktail

Martini: lemon twist or olive, never both. Old fashioned: orange twist, optionally a cocktail cherry. Negroni: orange slice. Gin and tonic: depending on the gin, usually lemon or grapefruit. Whisky sour: three drops of bitters on the foam. Mojito: a sprig of mint and a lime wedge. Espresso martini: three coffee beans, for luck, health and wealth.

Leave out anything you can't taste or smell. A little umbrella or a plastic flamingo belongs only in a tiki glass. Read our article about the salt rim and browse our cocktail glasses.

The right glass

The Royal Leerdam Experts coupe holds 27 cl, with a wide surface where a twist sits nicely. The Onis Bespoke Nick & Nora glass holds 15.5 cl, perfect for a martini with a lemon twist. Find all the shapes in the cocktail glass collection.

Royal Leerdam Experts Coupe 27 cl (6 pieces)
Our pick 01

Royal Leerdam Experts Coupe 27 cl (6 pieces)

€ 34,95per set · fast delivery on business days
Onis Bespoke Nick & Nora Cocktail Glass 15.5 cl (6 pieces)
Our pick 02

Onis Bespoke Nick & Nora Cocktail Glass 15.5 cl (6 pieces)

€ 35,95per set · fast delivery on business days

Good to know

Which knife should you use for a twist?

A vegetable peeler makes wide strips, while a channel knife makes thin curls. A sharp chef’s knife works too: cut the peel thinly and remove the pith.

Can you prepare garnishes in advance?

Keep slices and wedges in a covered container in the fridge for a few hours. Don’t prepare twists in advance: the oil evaporates. Cut them when serving.

Which cocktail cherry?

A real maraschino or amarena cherry, dark red and packed in syrup. The bright red supermarket cherry is sugar water with food coloring.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a citrus twist?

Cut a strip of peel without the pith, squeeze it peel-side down over the drink so the oil sprays onto it, then place it in or on the glass. See our cocktail glasses.

Why squeeze a twist over the glass?

For the oil in the peel. It adds aroma with every sip without making the cocktail more sour.

What garnish goes with an old fashioned?

An orange twist, optionally with a real cocktail cherry.

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